Has anyone gotten their Group Cast to work? - AT&T, Rogers, Bell, Telus Samsung Galaxy S III

Gang, after Samsung decided to advertise the hell out of Group Cast. It looks like an interesting and useful feature so I decided to give it a shot. First off, it was difficult to setup, something like 15 clicks or so to get two devices connected. I could barely figure it out myself, much less expect my wife or my friends who are not tech savvy to set it up. Also, it only works between GSIII's. The odds of two GSIII's getting together, well, you can calculate it. My previous phone was a GNex, and I discovered this app called Tapestry, and it is a really polished photo sharing app and it connects in 3 clicks. It also has nifty features like "swipe to download" to directly download images peer-to-peer, and also synchronized pinch/zoom. It also works with all Android devices, not just GSIII's. Has anyone else played with Group Cast? I'd like to get your thoughts. Has anyone else played with Tapestry? I'd like to get your comparison/contrast on it as well.

Related

HTC Desire v HTC HD2

Hi
I'm expecting delivery of T-Mobile HTC Desire soon.
I have chosen this phone over HTC HD2 on a 7 day trial basis.
I know of the issue concerning bluetooth voice dialing on android phones and I am prepared to accept that there might or might not be a solution eventually.
I am a user of Thunderbird and use a program called Birdiesync for use with Windows Mobile phones. It just works 100%.
It seems to sync Thunderbird calendar and email will be fine on Desire, but I'm not so sure about thunderbird and contacts. For me most of my 500 contacts have postal addresses which are important to me, whereas only a small % have email addresses. It seems Thunderbird and Google contacts are handled differently and the few Thunderbird addons that exist for this issue are not 100%. Certainly when it comes to maintaining the structure of postal addresses.
Lastly I use a piece of software called SKScheMa 1.2.17 on Windows Mobile. This allows me to create a script that turns on bluetooth when phone is on charge and turns it off when phone taken off charge. I like this because when I get out of my car and go to a customers front door I don't want the phone still connected to the car bluetooth system. this software handles this for me. QUESTION: Does juicedefender handle this or can anyone else suggest another app.
It seems I am expected to give up quite a lot of functionability to move over to the Android platform, but I do believe it is/will be the OS of choice in the future.
Feedback and help would be most gratefuly received.
You almost always lose functionality when you move from Winmo, but you gain a nice interface and more fun apps. Eventually android will cover the short fall, it just depends how long you can wait.
The issue with the Desire v HD2 is not just software though. As nice as the AMOLED on the Desire is, the size of the HD2 is compelling. There really is no contest for picture and movie viewing. Some like the saturation level on AMOLED screens, but its much less natural than the LCD on the HD2, its just over saturated. Its not such a big deal on a phone i guess, but some pictures and videos do look quite wrong. I put both through a calibration using the gear i had for my Plasma and i can tell you the blacks on the AMOLED are great, but the colours are WAY WAY off. The HD2 is much better despite only being 65k colours.
Yeah
I'm not too sure if Android is for me to be honest.
I am fed up with poor battery life on every single Winmo phone I have ever owned. I use about 1500mins of tak per month. I really do need MS Voice Command, couldn't care less about playing mp3's watching vids etc. I like to be able to surf net and send and recieve emails. Because of my usage i will always be offered top spec phone for free. I just fancied a change, but even prior to delivery I may have to accept the fact that this latest phone is gonna have to be yet another HTC winmo phone that comes with an old platform, poor battery life etc. I may just need to wait another 18 months of contract before moving over to Android. I'm not too sure what winmo 7 will bring or lack or even if it will be available from here for the HD2
Although I am yet to get the Desire in my hands, it seems everything about the OS is a workaround to get the most basic of features working in a fashion that I am used to. The ability to sync contacts/email and calendar should just work. I just don't get it! Perhaps thunderbird is the problem, but I am not prepared to use Outlook. I use portable thunderbird on my main drive, and this allows you to copy the whole thin over onto a USB stick and use anywhere if required. hats just not possible with Outlook.
The HD2 is a great phone if you want compatibility with Office apps and the like. The screen is awesome and (if you use a custom ROM) bettery life is more than acceptable (2 days with moderate use).
BUT the Desire is a better all round phone out the box. I had to cook my own ROM to get my HD2 how I wanted it. I've not touched a thing on the Desire since I got it.
Perhaps you can help me then.
I really would love to be able to have bluetooth on when unit is on charge and off when not. Does anyone know of an app that does it. Does Juicedefender?
Whilst I may not have to meddle with the Desire it just might be beacuse nothing I want it to do for me is actually available.
1. No bluetooth handsfree voice dialing
2. No apparant flawless syncing between Thunderbird and Android platform
3. No bluetooth on when on charge and off when disconnected.
Whilst I fully understand my requirements may not be on the forefront of many mainstream users, they are hardly so obscure to be not available.
I just don't get it. I know the Android platform is the future, but perhaps for me I need to wait.
I'll give it the 7 days and see if the experience is so great that I'm prepared to give up the proper functionability I have come to expect from a phone.
I had the same dilema... HD2 or Desire..
I've got the Desire but it's going back to orange today... Don't get me wrong it's a good phone but the main things I use my phone for just don't work as well as in my winmo diamond... so, i'm getting the HD2 - I stream a lot of video/mp3s with myplayer, skyfire (tvactchup) and also use fpsece a lot on my diamond but the experience i've had with video streaming on the desire is'nt great.. I know they'll get it right when Full Flash is released later in the year (10.1? is it?) but I'm a bit impatient and I can't wait till then.
I've also tried Xdandroid on my diamond and although it's not perfect I should be able to run Android on my winmo device anyway - so that's made my mind up.
I've had my HD2 for about 6 weeks now, and I'm fed up with it. I have loads of issues with it, but the big ones are:
- Constantly crashes (dialer app mainly - I've tried various ROMS with no luck)
- On screen keyboard is useless
- Internet links impossible to hit cleanly every time, even when zoomed in.
- Smooth scrolling of menus/web pages is impossible
- Lack of a proper "App Store"
- No upgrade path to Win Phone 7
- Confused, counter intuitive UI layout (Window's fault)
- Phone is so large its difficult to hold/operate with one hand.
My wife took delivery of her Desire yesterday, and I'm jealous, although it has reminded me that the HD2 has a lovely *big* screen in comparison.
Desire first impressions:
- On screen keyboard is a delight to use
- Internet links are easy to click
- Nice smooth menu action
- Well thought out, intuitive UI
- Sits nicely in the palm, easy to use one handed
In terms of battery life no smart phone is especially good. I dont think you really lose or gain anything by switching to another OS if the hardware spec is basically the same.
Get both! haha
Sent from my HTC Desire using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalkp
Lyrrad said:
Perhaps you can help me then.
I really would love to be able to have bluetooth on when unit is on charge and off when not. Does anyone know of an app that does it. Does Juicedefender?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm pretty sure that Locale does this on the market, and I believe there are plenty of others too but I can't remember off the top of my head.
I would never go back to WinMo even if someone gave me the latest handset.
ritdaw said:
I'm pretty sure that Locale does this on the market, and I believe there are plenty of others too but I can't remember off the top of my head.
I would never go back to WinMo even if someone gave me the latest handset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay I have also been told that Tasker does it too.
Now I need to be convinced about syncing with Thunderbird properly. Calendar seems fine, and email is easy for me. It's just how contacts are handled. I use postal addresses a lot and I pride myself on the fact that I have over 600 records all properly set out below.
Address
City
State
Postal Code
Home Tel
Mobile Tel
Work Tel
Very few of them have an email address.
Android/Google seems to require an email address so all of my contacts now seem to require a bogus email. That's ok, but Google also seem to want to handle the address more a a note than anything else, and it does not seem to look nice on my PC. How it looks on my phone will be the make or breaking point for me.
I personally like the desire over the HD2, the one thing that annyoed me about the HD2 was the screen problems and having to keep on sending it back to HTC until you finally got one that worked.
Apart from that the wm6.5 and the phone itself was spot on, the HTC Desire on the other hand has not been rooted yet but is damn fast, if not faster than the bulky WM. The only down side to the desire for me are the keys at the bottom of the device.
Lyrrad said:
Android/Google seems to require an email address so all of my contacts now seem to require a bogus email. That's ok, but Google also seem to want to handle the address more a a note than anything else, and it does not seem to look nice on my PC. How it looks on my phone will be the make or breaking point for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A large number of my contacts just have phone numbers and no email addresses. I tried creating a new contact with just a name and it work. Am I miss-understanding what you are trying to do?
Also setting profiles lite/pro probably handles the disabling and enabling of bluetooth.
ritdaw said:
A large number of my contacts just have phone numbers and no email addresses. I tried creating a new contact with just a name and it work. Am I miss-understanding what you are trying to do?
Also setting profiles lite/pro probably handles the disabling and enabling of bluetooth.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not too sure if this is a Thunderbird issue. I use thunderbird over Outlook because you can instaal Portable Thunderbird onto your hard drive rather than a USB drive. Portable thunderbird by it's very nature does not install anything into your registery. Therefore it is possible to copy it in it in full at any given time on to a USB stick and then you are walking around with all of your details to be used plugged into any PC. I suppose if I were to really sit down and think about this option it may well be redundant if I am prepared to use Google. However my way of thinking at the moment is to use google as nothing more than a server between my Android phone and my email client.
All I know is that the Thunderbird addons do not seem to be flawless.
I need to get the phone and experiment.
I really would like it to work.
No Voice Command or anything that offere bluetooth handsfree voice dialling was all I thought I was giving up by moving to Android. However that may not be the case.

[Q] Running (some) Apps from Locked Screen

Hi:
One of the things I liked about my iPhone 4S is that I could easily take a picture, and still enjoy having my phone locked. I could even initiate Siri (who I never got to understand my accent), and thus I could even make calls and send texts - or in my case, get stressed out trying as the darn thing usually misunderstood me.
I have only found one app that can do that for the Note 2; but it only allows pictures, not making calls etc.; and it makes my phone look like a bloody iPhone ("smart iPhone 5 lock screen" app, in Play Store). More importantly, it only gives camera access, not "calling and texting", for example.
Ideally, I'm looking for an App that can allow some apps to be used, but still locking up the rest of the system until a passcode is entered. There are a bunch that do it from a so-called "locked screen", but it's not truly locked, except against accidental key presses. I am not even sure if the Android OS fundamentally supports this, but if it does, I'm willing to pay for it, as I don't enjoy the time it takes to unlock my phone when I am in a hurry, and I do not want to leave my phone unlocked as I have personally sensitive data on it.
Anyone have any ideas? I have tried multiple searches in the PlayStore and just come up with more of the same. My phone is not rooted, and I am not feeling very brave about doing that just yet, so I really want a regular App, if such a thing exists?
Regards and thanks for reading.
Andrew

Question Roundabout Unlimited Original Quality GPhotos

Tl;dr Get pixel 3, use nearby share to send stuff to it, backup happens automagically. Get an og pixel, it's slightly less automagical. Help?
Longer: I've been giving myself too many pats on the back since I figured this out, but at some point last year while using my pixel 5 and not liking using up my storage too quickly, I figured out that I can just use nearby share to send all my pics and video to my pixel 3 and they'll back up quite nicely, no third party app needed. It's not instant, but doing this once/day is sufficient for me.
The important part is that even the metadata is correct. This was a stumbling block as to why I didn't do this before - dates would change to the upload/share time. Screenshots, screen recordings, and all pictures/video keep the same date/time. Downloaded pictures don't, but to me that's not a huge deal bc it's usually just wallpapers and such.
Anyway, with unlimited original quality on P3 ending soon, I got myself an OG Pixel off Swappa. (It's shiny and blue, looks very nice! Mine was black but caught the bootloops. Dead board probably, not worth the fix.) I figured I'd just use the same procedure to keep having unlimited original backups. It works, except that screenshots don't keep the original time.
Here's where it gets weird:
I use nearby share to send the files from my P6P to my original pixel. Screen recordings and pics/video work as expected. Screenshots, however, change their time after the upload finishes.
I've nailed it down to proving that the time it gets changed to is the time that I airdropped NSed the files:
After sharing, I cut the wifi so it doesn't upload. And before it uploads, the time is correct. Only after the screenshots upload is the time changed. Using an exif utility app I can see the original time as well. Yet for some reason after upload - only on the p1, p3 does it right - it switches to showing the last modified time.
Can anyone help me troubleshoot these screenshots not having the right time on them? It's not the worst thing in the world since they usually have the time in the screenshot and it's easy enough to edit the time, but I'd love for this process to be just as smooth as it was on my pixel 3.
Relevant info: all software is fully up to date, I've tried this with both the production and beta versions of Google Play Services, all devices are full stock and have never been modified afaik. I can't speak much to the hx of the P1, but I don't get any warnings on boot so I assume verified boot is doing its job. It's unfortunately a Verizon model even though I bought it unlocked, as the OEM unlock toggle is greyed out.
Update for anyone reading this in the future:
I ended up not using nearby share anymore and switching to SyncThing. It's so much better. No metadata issues, and I don't have to touch the og pixel at all. I even have it on an outlet timer to control the charging.
I still check it every other day or so to update any apps (because security) that I have notifications for, and some other minor things, but besides that I'm a happy camper. This also looks like it'll work from anywhere in the world, which is a huge bonus.
The only downside is I can't figure out how to use the exclusion thing to make it not sync .trashed files.
You can try https://www.tacit.dk/foldersync/help/ - IIRC you can fillter out dot-files.

Question Maps "Home" - Going nuts - SOLVED

So, I had the Pixel Watch working just fantastic on the Pixel 6. Now I've upgraded to the Pixel 7 Pro. I read somewhere that I had to reset the watch for it to work, and yes, that was necessary, so I did it.
Now I'm in the process of completely setting up the watch again and I'm almost done.
The one thing that is still insoluble for me is the "Maps" app. When it was set up in the Pixel 6, my home address was showing on the watch screen, on the top where it says "Home" - now, with the Pixel 7 Pro, it does not. I have set everything else exactly the same way as before - but this one setting eludes me. I can't find a way to do this in the phone app, or in the watch - somehow, I think is was kinda automatic with the Pixel 6, but I don't really remember (old guy here - 73, but I think my memory is pretty good...I could be wrong).
Everything is updated to hell and back and somehow I'm missing something.
Can anyone help?
BTW, I'm loving the 7 Pro.
Thanks for any help.
Well, I kinda figured it out - I had to use the Maps app on the phone and that updated itself, and then updated the watch. The whole Pixel 7 Pro setup was a tiny bit weird. For example, I could see the watch was connected to Bluetooth, but setting up some parts of the watch would keep saying "can't connect".
A very odd experience.
All is OK now.
Oh, you got it working??? It is a known issue that for some users (me!) the watch will not update or populate home/work (I'm retired so work is HOME ). I have the 6 Pro. I just got it in the Spring so not yet ready to jump aboard another upgrade. I might try to update Maps on the phone but I expect it will not work.
Interesting. I had the Pixel 6 (non pro) when I first got the watch and it worked right the very first time.
This time I used a brand new Pixel 7 Pro, fresh out of the box, and reset the watch. I realized that I had not yet used Google Maps on the phone, so I did and the watch updated at that time.
Like you, I'm retired and needed "home".
Pixel 7 Pro + Pixel watch: Not working for me.
Everything is updated, work + home is defined on the phone, watch refuses to accept any of it.
respinK said:
Pixel 7 Pro + Pixel watch: Not working for me.
Everything is updated, work + home is defined on the phone, watch refuses to accept any of it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Updated, rolled back, rebooted. NOTHING has worked.
I wish I could help you guys, but all I did is set "Home" on Google Maps on my phone.
Maybe deleting the Maps from the watch and starting again? I know fred2546 rebooted and all, but honestly all I did is define "Home" in the phone. Probably doesn't mean much but I have the Pixel 7 Pro.
Pixel 6 Pro.
Now I had defined home but I don''t work so did not define my home a second time. But I will also admit that I do not allow Google to track me in my everyday pursuits and movements. I do not have location history enabled or whatever that setting might be.
I sort of agree about not wanting to be tracked, but some time ago I decided I didn't really care. I'm old (73), retired, and live with my cat - they can send me ads, notifications, and whatnot until the end of time - I will never buy anything that's emailed, or a phone call, to me as an offer, and I block a whole lot of calls - I love playing with them.
But, fred2546, did you get it to work?
LordP666 said:
I sort of agree about not wanting to be tracked, but some time ago I decided I didn't really care. I'm old (73), retired, and live with my cat - they can send me ads, notifications, and whatnot until the end of time - I will never buy anything that's emailed, or a phone call, to me as an offer, and I block a whole lot of calls - I love playing with them.
But, fred2546, did you get it to work?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It did not work. Yesterday I was on my way out to a bike ride and on the watch did a search. First, it opened with Home/Work which remain undefined. But I put a local sushi joint in the search. It came up with the name and then suggested I see the PHONE. Since I needed to meet the bike riding friend I did not follow up.
Obviously, Google knows quite a bit anyway. I use Google Fi as my carrier and I did use Google Maps while touring around Iceland in Sept.
And I've got a few years on you but no cat!
Get a cat from a shelter and you will be handsomely rewarded by its lunatic personality. I love my Mr. PoopiHead, he's very affectionate and a complete loon.
I am not a cat person. I do on occasion feed friends' cats - more than enough for me!

Why can't I have it all?

Today is one of the days per year that I have a full Saturday without my family around to bug me. As I sit here wasting my day trying to figure out how to "have it all", I have to "vent". I don't understand why this is so difficult. It's not about the money, I would write a check with several zeros if someone could find a solution for me. All I want, is a phone that Google and Apple can't track, but is still functional for my needs.
LineageOS with Micro is ALMOST that solution. But, every day something doesn't work like it should. I need to be able to schedule texts and send MMS messages that don't sacrafice quality. What do you user for that? Google Messages. Well, I don't want to sign into Google so none of those features work. In fact, even if I do sign in, none of those features work. Ok, I'll try Textra. Nope. Won't work with MicroG because it "needs google service". I have tried around a dozen messaging apps, but either they don't schedule texts or they don't send MMS.
I drive 1,000s of miles for work in different vehicles in unfamiliar areas. I listen to many podcasts and take lots of phone calls on the road. So, given the amount of travel and variation of vehicles I drive, having a physcial GPS or using a phone mount isn't practical. Using my phone as a handheld GPS isn't smart. What's left? Android Auto. Ok, I've tried using a separate phone for Android Auto, but then phone calls don't come through. I've almost crashed trying to juggle those.
What am I working on today? I've been using Brave Browser, but I also use 1password. 1password functionality is broken on 90% of the sites I visit on Brave, so I downloaded Firefox. 1password works great, but my corporate security app routes everything from Firefox through itself, and breaks everything. It doesn't happen with Brave and I can't delete my work app. So Brave wins that battle.
So I thought -- why don't I just install LinesageOS with gapps, create a brand new google account to login with, and never use that google ID anywhere else. But after some research and asking on different message boards, THAT doesn't work either.
At this point, how does someone in my shoes not just say f#*k it, you win Google/Apple, and go back to a stock OS?
faknit said:
have to "vent"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Kinda know this feeling.
faknit said:
want, is a phone that Google and Apple can't track
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about Librem? Or at least iodeOS?
faknit said:
Google Messages
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why in the 1st place?
faknit said:
What's left? Android Auto
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, other than that, perhaps Osmand?
faknit said:
you win Google/Apple, and go back to a stock OS?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NO WAY, over my dad's cat!
I do understand and share your frustration but giving up is not a good choice here.
Sometimes less is more, I don't use MicroG at all and people keep pestering me since years to get Whatsapp, Signal, Threema, Telegram, Slack, Discord and all that ****. Nah, stop being stupid and just keep using email, SMS or jabber.
Unless another Noah posts free tickets for Ark 2 on whatsapp, I am perfectly fine, I guess
A little late on my reply! Figured I'd still throw this out there.
I can't use Librem & iodeOS because of work requirements. I have to use their applications for email/messaging etc. Unfortunately the apps also detect/block Custom ROMs so I have no choice but to root so I can use magisk.
Literally the only reason I want Google Messages (which, for what I want requires chat features enabled) is to schedule messages without losing other functionality. QKSMS works great, but you can't share videos. Several others that are recommended won't work without Google services. There was one that worked really well but crashed every couple hours and would only work after uninstalling.
Android Auto, I could care less which application I use TBH, but nothing else will do what I need. I need the map to display on the cars screen so I'm not staring at my phone. A second phone isn't an option because 1. I'd lose it 2. Work won't pay for a phone because they suck and I can't afford 2 plans. Same excuses for a dedicated GPS. A phone mount is difficult because of the sheer variety of vehicles I drive, and I usually don't know what I'll be driving. So I'd have to take several styles of mount on every trip.
All that said --- I vented and I feel better. I'm just dealing with the problems.
faknit said:
Work won't pay for a phone because they suck and I can't afford 2 plans
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That sounds familiar. A previous company insisted on iphone which I despised but I tried anyway for a month, ever since I hate everything crapple even more
But wait, can't solve issue 1... issue 2: Hotspot on company phone? Muahahahaaa

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